


Unforeseen Consequences

by Puffinpastry



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Bittersweet, Dragon Quest XI Act II Spoilers, Dragon Quest XI Act III Spoilers, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, The sphere broke, Time Travel, but it also didn’t
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24650827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puffinpastry/pseuds/Puffinpastry
Summary: Consequences aren’t always clear, even in hindsight.You didn’t know what would become of you, once the sphere broke. You couldn’t. There was no way to peer into the future, especially not one that hadn’t even happened yet, and still may not.But that was fine.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Unforeseen Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what this is.  
> It came to me for some reason right after watching Vincent and the Doctor, and I’ve got no idea why. 
> 
> A lot different than what I typically do, but hey! Gotta branch out a little bit from time to time.

Consequences aren’t always clear, even in hindsight. 

You didn’t know what would become of you, once the sphere broke. You couldn’t. There was no way to peer into the future, especially not one that hadn’t even happened yet, and still may not. 

But that was fine.

You were, no, you are the Luminary.

And if there was even the tiniest sliver of a chance that you could fix the failures of your past, what choice would you have to make?

You would take the chance, each time.

Because that is just what you are.

It is just who you are.

And it worked. You travelled back to that fateful day on Yggdrasil, and prevented the calamity that would have fallen over every last corner of the land.

It was a shame you didn’t truly get to see the results.

At least, not in order. 

Because even as you travelled back, you also remained in the same place.

The sphere shattered, the sword broke.

But the sphere remained intact, and the sword as well.

You remained in the Tower of Lost Time, and you fell through the light to awaken just outside Arboria as it was before Her fall.

And, here you were now. 

You didn’t know at what point in time you were currently in, you never really do. 

But that’s okay. 

You always find out soon enough.

The last time you found yourself aware of your surroundings, a flesh-and-bone person rather than the ghostly  _ nothing _ you were while the sphere broke, you found yourself in the bright summer of Puerto Valor. 

Overdressed for the weather you may have been, but even in the duster you wore and the heavy black shirt, it was just so nice to  _ feel _ for once that you didn’t mind knowing that the heat would soon become much less than pleasurable. 

The city was familiar, if just a little bit different.

Buildings you knew existed were nowhere to be seen, and the sign hanging outside the Casino was hardly as gaudy as you knew it to be.

For just a moment, you considered going inside. A gambler you were, but why waste time at the slots when you didn’t know how long you had? Besides, you hadn’t any use for anything at the ticket counter.

Instead, you took a walk around the city. Watching the waves crash against the shore and the people that walked by until the sky was beginning to grow dim. 

It was always so much more beautiful here in the sunset, when the oranges of the sky and the setting sun painted the white streets and walls into something much more interesting. 

You were in the gardens just outside Don Rodrigo’s home when the answer to when exactly you were came.

Three boys, not one older than fourteen were out near the training grounds, but none there to practice, even with the wooden swords strapped to their sides, over the blue tunics they wore.

They were laughing about something, a joke, a silly mistake, you weren’t sure.

And you didn’t particularly care to know. 

You stopped just at the end of the flower beds to watch. 

Minutes passed like that, they didn’t even notice you.

No one ever did, unless you were the one to catch their attention. 

Sylvando, somehow still taller than Hendrik-  _ but for how long? _ \- leaned in to whisper something in Hendrik’s ear. 

Hendrik flushed scarlet in an instant.

You couldn’t help but smile. So he’d always been that easy to fluster. 

“N-Norberto!” He spluttered, giving chase when Sylvando skipped away laughing. “Take that back!”

Two of the three friends were gone, and Jasper was left in the dust.

Alone, his shoulders slumped.

He did not join his two companions.

Despite knowing firsthand what he would go on to do, you couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the child. Insecure, was all that it stemmed from. And it seemed that it was something the boy always struggled with.

He sat down on the ground, and rested his arms over his knees. 

You could still hear the other two yelling as they raced down the street, still free to play and enjoy their youth before their wants and expectations pulled them all apart. 

It wasn’t something you could fix.

But at the very least…

“Hey,” you said, coming to stand next to where Jasper sat. He startled, only realizing you were there after you spoke. “You okay?”

He got to his feet as quickly as he could, and took a few steps back. He squinted at you, suspicious. “Who are you?” He demanded, and you had to bite your lip at the authoritative tone he took in a voice not yet broken. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just a tourist.” You said, rocking back on your heels and looking around at the garden as if it fascinated you. “Just a little turned around, sorry for startling you.”

“You didn’t.” Jasper said.

You didn’t argue, just gave a quick nod to show you understood. “I saw your friends run off. Why didn’t you go with them?” You were direct. You weren’t in the beginning, but with time you come to realize that people just trusted you. Maybe it was another perk of being the Luminary. Maybe it was part of being a ghost of time. Maybe you just had one of those faces.

“They don’t want me.” He answered just as easily as you expected, staring at his shoes. “I’d just be in the way.”

It was just a little bit harder to get him to open up fully, but by the time the moon was in the sky, and the only warm light came from inside homes and stores, you had Jasper laughing with you. He felt better, and maybe now he didn’t think quite so low of himself.

You haven't changed your future. Yours was already set in stone. But maybe… whatever shard of the Time Sphere you were in had its future changed. Maybe not all the way. Maybe Jasper would still fall prey to Mordegon’s influence. But maybe… Maybe he wouldn’t. Or maybe, he’d have a change of heart.

But one way or another, it didn’t matter. 

You heard Sylvando again. Calling for Jasper, in a voice so familiar yet so much not, it almost hurt.

You’d chanced upon your old friend many a time like this, but it always found a new way to make you miss them. 

“Oh, no!” Jasper shout up from where he’d eventually settled next to you. “I’ve got to go, I’m late for supper!” Without even a wave goodbye, he took off running for his companions.

You had watched him leave until the world around you faded, and the ether closed around you yet again. 

But that was then. It had been a nice little stop, but it wasn’t a moment you’d have the pleasure of revisiting.

You only got one shot with each little fragment of time. 

But you’d done a good job, that time. 

And it was over.

Now, you found yourself on the snowy streets of Sniflheim just as the sun finished creeping below the horizon. 

Still not dressed properly for the climate.

But again, it wasn’t of any matter. 

Warm light drifted through stained-glass windows, light snow fell through the air, and the chatter of the happy pedestrians was nearly music.

It was a beautiful kingdom.

A shame you didn’t spend more time here, when you were still a person.

But, you supposed that there would be plenty of visits in your future.

You wondered who you’d meet here.

Maybe the Queen? Or, if you were far enough in the past, perhaps it would be Krystalinda.

What an interesting time you could probably have, talking out whatever it was that bothered her.

Or maybe, you thought as bright blue caught your eye, just maybe, you were here for someone you knew better.

Again younger than you ever knew him, you saw Erik. 

Seated by a shop, shivering. And even younger, a girl at his side. He’d slung an arm over her shoulder as she sat snug between his side and the arm of his thread-bare coat.

Not one passerby spared them so much as a glance.

And it broke your heart.

Sniflheim was the wealthiest kingdom in the land, and yet the citizens would rather ignore two starving children than take the time to help them. 

Well. You weren’t so callus. 

Erik saw you right away, to your utter surprise. You hadn’t done anything yet, had you? 

This time was no different than any other stop you’d made.

Maybe it was your intent to help that had triggered your existence. 

Or maybe, you considered, as the small child glared at you, holding his sister tight, maybe Erik was just more observant than the people around him.

Maybe he just had to be.

They looked no less suspicious as you crouched down before them, two pairs of blue eyes looking you up and down, trying to decide if you were a threat.

“Hey, there.” You said. You’ve always been told that you’re good with kids, but whatever it was that  _ made  _ that so, you didn’t have a clue. But hopefully, you still were. “What’s your name?”

Erik didn’t respond, glaring harder than ever, his lower lip stuck out. 

But Mia did.

“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.” She said in a very holier-than-thou way that it seemed she always had, and as Erik hurried to shush her you couldn’t help but laugh. 

“That’s okay.” You said, “That's a good rule to have.” You pulled your hood back, something that Erik would give you more than ten years in the future, and smiled. “But I’m a friend. My name is El-“ Surely it would be a bad idea to give yourself the same name as the Luminary he was to meet, wouldn’t it? “-lie.”  _ Nice _ . Another name that Erik would eventually know, after Sylvando recruits themself, but too late now. Who’s to say these things are even something that will be remembered? “My name is Ellie.”

“You’re no friend of mine.” Erik said, and he was about to try and make off when Mia’s stomach growled. Loudly.

The angry look hadn’t left his face once, until then. Now, he just looked sad.

You hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe not yet, but I could be.” You knew now what you’d be doing to help. “I know what it’s like to go hungry. I just want to help.”

It took a little more urging, but the promise of food, free food nonetheless, was enough to convince Erik that the friendly stranger was worth the risk. 

No one noticed you leading two bedraggled kids into one of the higher-end restaurants along the road. 

Menus were brought, but the waitress didn’t make conversation.

This wasn’t a bad existence to lead. Confusing sometimes, yes. But it wasn’t bad at all.

The food came, and you watched as the boy that would later become the best friend you’d ever have and his little sister eat like pigs. You tried to get them to be a little more careful, to take it a little slower so that they wouldn’t get sick, but you knew they both had stomachs like steel. And you could get them new clothes, too. Just to replace the tomato-sauce stained ones they had now.

Mia babbled on about nothing, and Erik made sure she was getting more in her belly than on her shirt before he even began to eat. 

And you, well. You didn’t really care about food anymore, so you just sat back and smiled.

This wasn’t a bad existence at all. Rather, you quite enjoyed it.

Maybe this was something every Luminary became, eventually.

Maybe this is what he would be doing until it was time the world needed you again.

That would be nice. 

Mia piped up, asking for more once her plate was scraped clean. Erik apologized, said you didn’t have to do anything more, in a way that reminded you of when he lost his memory. So that’s where the sudden politeness came from. 

But there wouldn’t be a bill at the end of their dinner, not as long as they were with you.

So, you ordered them both slices of fresh buzzberry pie, and watched their eyes light up.

But as each one did, eventually this world faded around you, and again you were nothing.

Just waiting until it was time again to land somewhere new. 

And you couldn’t wait to see who you came across next.


End file.
